In discovering what produces effective learning as Christians we need to realize the responsibilities of the teacher and the student. Both are responsible in the learning process, but how much responsibility we should assign to each also needs defining.

To help give a better understanding on this I interviewed one of my teachers, Mr. Handyside, at my college.



Q. How would you instill godly principles and Christian values to students whose parents do not teach or encourage those values at home?

A. He said that he would do his best to model those values himself by his actions and words. He would emphasize the student's need to learn to pray and use his/her Bible. Lastly, he would apply Christian values and principles to the everyday lives of his students when the opportunity presented itself.

Q. What would you agree a teacher's responsibility to his/her students would be? What would be the student's responsibility to his/her teacher?


A. "Both the student and the teacher have responsibilities in the student's learning. The teacher however, must take the position that student learning is primarily their responsibility. A teacher can not use any student difficulties as an excuse not to do their best and try all means to engage the student in learning."


Q. How would you teach high school (or college) students to use God's Word to "filter" information they learn from the secular world and make their secular learning apply to their lives?

A. He would teach his students to "make connections in [their] thinking from secular text to Biblical text." (Thus making parallels between the two). He would also advice his students to "memorize scripture and mediate upon God's Word."


Q. What would you advise a Christian student in a secular or public school who is being taught things that directly contradict God's Word?

A. I would advice him/her to be in prayer about the issue. Find out and know what God's word says about it. Romans 3:4a "...let God be true, but every man a liar." God's Word is truth.



In conclusion, teachers should do their best to encourage their students to be as Christ minded as possible (Romans 15:5 "be of the same mind one with another according to Christ Jesus"), but we, as students, should also do our best to live for God in our attempt to learn.

Romans 12:2 "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."






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Image up top found at: http://eslarticle.com/pub/articles/teaching/how-to-reach-all-of-your-students-during-your-first-year-730.htm (11/30/2010)